When the living is easy

It’s the season to enjoy our green spaces at their best, but don’t take your eye off your gardening tasks in the headiness of summer, writes Dav Piper

MOTHER NATURE AT HER PEAK

THE WONDROUS TIME we dream of all winter is here – long, hot, lazy summer days bursting with blooms and buzzing with bees. The gardens are reaching the pinnacle of their growth, so sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Throughout the difficulties of the past year, it has made my heart sing to see so many people investing in natural spaces – coming together in the great outdoors, discovering the joys of gardening and finding solace in nature. I hope this is something many of us will continue far into the future.

It’s not too late to pad out the borders with summer colour or grab last-minute hanging baskets. Tomatoes still need pinching out and there is always work to be done on the vegetable patch. Fruit is beginning to ripen on the trees and cut flowers are readily available. There’s plenty of weeding to be done and be conscious of water levels, especially for newly planted gems.

But, above all, enjoy all that summer has to offer. Let the heat melt away your cares. Spend time in mindful contemplation, enjoy the smells of freshly cut grass, roses and flowers. Listen to the birdsong. Pay attention to the insects going about their business. Soak it all in.

Whether working or relaxing, you will find me spending more time outside than indoors. Summer is the season to heal and rest, and I cannot bear to waste a precious second. This period feels like a reward to be enjoyed, a time for making new memories and reconnecting with those from whom we have been separated. Allow yourself lazy moments – the temptation to rush back to things can be countered in slow summer days. Let go of the past and move forward at a gentle pace, into a world where the outdoors is treasured.